


To Remind the Blind

by eggburn



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Blind Twelve, Blindness, Friendship, Post-Episode AU: s10e05 Oxygen, bc ever since the rumors started i just had this idea so here it is, post-oxygen, slight au bc BIll knows that he's still blind, space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 17:25:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10904052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eggburn/pseuds/eggburn
Summary: “What’s it like?” His blurred white eyes turned to her, somehow looking pleading.“What’s what like?"“Outside, there,” The Doctor pointed to the system of stars with his head. “Describe it to me.”The Doctor and Bill sit on the edge of the TARDIS and talk about stars.





	To Remind the Blind

“Okay, there’s some stairs now,” Bill cautiously held the Doctor’s left shoulder as she helped guide him towards the entrance of the TARDIS. “Careful.”

She pushed the doors open with her other hand, watching as his feet fidgeted, finding the edge and making sure not to go over. Bill had just started getting used to the Doctor but now, he was so different, so unsure of himself. The exterior of a man who was in charge, knew what he was doing, had disappeared. He’d become vulnerable. But don’t get it wrong, he sure as hell wasn’t going to let anyone know he was.

The Doctor gripped the doorway as he bent his legs, letting out a groan as he finally sat. Bill took a seat beside him in silence, their legs dangling over the edge.

“Good thing you remembered to turn on the oxygen shell,” She finally spoke, fidgeting with her fingers as she stared at the galaxy they’d arrived at. Bill smiled with teeth as she looked at the sparkling and flashing specks that decorated and contrasted against the black void. Her smile fell as she remembered that the Doctor couldn’t see it, guilt ruining the moment as it rushed into her stomach.

“It’s automatic.” The Doctor replied, slightly turning his head to Bill before looking straight ahead. He swayed his legs back and forth, unusually glad to have a moment of quiet. Bill remained soundless as she looked down at her hands, feeling as if it wasn’t fair that she got to see it all and he didn’t.

“It’s not your fault you know,” He knew what her silence’s causing was. He couldn’t be mad at her. He did what had to be done. “There’s no use blaming yourself when it’s not your fault.” The Doctor’s hands moved to grip the edge either side of him.

“But you didn’t have to- “

“Bill, you would have died.” The Doctor jumped straight to the point, his legs stilling. He wouldn’t let her argue this time.

She let him have this one, he definitely deserved it. Bill cracked a small smile as she saw his legs start to swing again.

“What’s it like?” His blurred white eyes turned to her, somehow looking pleading.

“What’s what like?”

“Outside, there,” The Doctor pointed to the system of stars with his head. “Describe it to me.”

Bill could tell how much he missed it all. Her eyebrows knitted together in concern as his face seemingly got sadder with each second she didn’t speak.

“It’s…It’s beautiful,” both their heads turned to gaze. “It’s _nothing_ like the pictures you see on Google.” Bill found trouble in picking a particular spot to talk about, eyes running around as if she was making a dot-to-dot in all the wrong order. “It’s just so much better...It’s got burning orange splattered everywhere and then groups of bright white speckles further away…”

The Doctor’s legs slowed down a little more each word she spoke, his mind becoming distracted as he tried to piece together every memory he had of the galaxy. But he could never get it right. He’d forgotten which star went where and which planets belonged to each star. The Doctor quickly became frustrated, just wishing he could see it again, make sense of it all. The pieces started jumbling up faster each time he tried to reset the image in his head. The Doctor gave up, knowing he’d never get it right. He turned his head away from Bill to hide the tears that were coming. He couldn’t let him see her like this.

Bill stopped mid-speech as she heard a sniffle on her right, turning to face him. She stared at the back of his hung head as a couple of tears dripped on his legs, leaving wet patches on his trousers. The Doctor cursed himself as she stopped talking, knowing she had found him out.

Bill could feel her own tears threatening to pour out, overwhelmed with guilt that she couldn't help but feel as she watched him spill tears for the first time.

“Keep going, please,” He wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his hoodie. “It helps.” He coughed as his voice cracked, embarrassed at how much he’d revealed to her.

The Doctor was surprised as he felt Bill’s head descend on his shoulder, her hair tickling his face. He smiled without thinking, slightly leaning back on her head.

“It’s like…” Bill smiled as she thought of a reply. “It’s like as if I accidentally knocked over a salt shaker during work.”

“Oh c’mon. It’s got to be a little better than that.” He laughed, causing her to join in.

“Yeah, you’re right. It is. Just a bit better though.” Bill said once they had calmed down.

The Doctor continued smiling as Bill continued telling him about the galaxy, wondering which one they should go to next.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hope this quick one shot was okay and that you enjoyed it! Honestly I think the ending is kind of rushed but it's very late and I'm very tired. Feel free to leave a comment critiquing anything, I'd love to improve :)!


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